Ahmedabad-based Vadilal Industries has appointed Himanshu Kanwar, a former Unilever executive and senior leader at startup advisory platform Xto10x, as its first professional chief executive officer. The move comes on the heels of a sweeping restructuring that ended decades of disputes within the Gandhi family, which has promoted and run the 117-year-old ice cream maker.
Kanwar spent more than 15 years at Unilever, where he worked on global personal care and ice cream categories, before moving to Xto10x, a platform founded by former Flipkart executives to help startups scale. His appointment marks a clear shift for Vadilal, which until now was managed directly by members of the founding family.
The Rs 1,200-crore company, known for its extensive ice cream range and frozen foods, competes with Amul and Hindustan Unilever’s Kwality Walls. Earlier this year, Vadilal concluded a long-standing family settlement, which included the merger of three promoter-held entities—Vadilal International Private Limited, Vadilal Finance Company Private Limited, and Veronica Constructions Private Limited—into Vadilal Industries. By consolidating the brand under one structure, the company eliminated issues around royalty payments and streamlined operations.
Shiv Shivakumar, chairman of Vadilal Industries, said Kanwar’s track record in consumer insights, innovation, and go-to-market execution would be critical in steering the company as it transitions from a family-led business to a professionally managed enterprise. “Himanshu will play a crucial bridge role in helping Vadilal evolve for the future,” he said.
As part of the governance reset, long-time managing directors Rajesh R. Gandhi and Devanshu L. Gandhi stepped down after legal disputes within the family were settled. The new leadership model is aimed at strengthening shareholder value while preserving promoter control of the business.
With Kanwar at the helm, Vadilal is expected to double down on growth in its core ice cream segment while expanding its frozen foods portfolio across domestic and export markets.
